Device and method for associating new data with a digital map

ABSTRACT

The present invention describes a method for associating new data with a digital map which is available, preferably locally, in a vehicle, having the following steps: at least one new data value is received from a transmitter which is an element of a vehicle-to-vehicle communication and/or a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, the new data value is compared with the existing data values from the digital map, and the new data value is added to the digital map or the existing data values are updated with the new data value, in each case on the basis of the result of the comparison. The specified method is used for improving the digital map material. The invention also describes a device for associating new data with a reception device and with a computation device.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the U.S. National Phase Application of PCTInternational Application No. PCT/EP2010/056807, filed May 18, 2010,which claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2009 003299.1, filed May 20, 2009, the contents of such applications beingincorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for associating new data witha digital map which is available, preferably locally, in a vehicle andto an appropriate device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Modern vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-to-infrastructurecommunication (subsequently together called C2X) is frequently designedsuch that it works in the respective vehicle even without digital mapmaterial. In many cases, however, vehicles additionally use digital mapmaterial to improve the C2X functions, or digital maps are present fordriver assistance systems and/or safety systems in the vehicle.

Irrespective of the C2X communication, attempts are made to improve thedigital map material and hence also the reliability of driver assistancesystems and safety systems in the vehicle.

The document WO 2009/56533 A1, which is incorporated by reference,discloses an assessment module for assessing data from a digital map fora vehicle, which assessment module takes measurement data from anambient sensor system in the vehicle and/or takes map-inherent qualityinformation as a basis for assessing data from the digital map and thentransfers the assessment to a driver assistance system or a safetysystem in the vehicle. These systems then use the data from the digitalmap on the basis of the assessment.

The document DE 10 2007 003 147 A1, which is incorporated by reference,discloses a driver assistance system for a vehicle which takes acalculated level of map reliability as a basis for executing associatedoperations. In this context, the level of map reliability indicates theaccuracy of map data in the neighborhood of the current position of thevehicle. The level of map reliability is determined by means of acomplicated formula about the adjacent positions of the vehicle. Thisformula takes account of the positioning accuracy of the map data forthe position of the vehicle, the change in data after a period of timehas elapsed, and the ratio of the match between map information and theactual data.

The known devices or methods allow only an assessment of the data fromexisting digital maps, however. The conventional methods imperativelyassume the presence of a digital map and/or of a local or globalnavigation system so as in each case to perform appropriateposition-finding for the current position with respect to the digitalmap which is present in the vehicle. However, there are situations andapplications which firstly do not imperatively assume a digital map, ora navigation system is not present or does not operate reliably. In suchcases, the known methods cannot be used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present invention proposes a way of creating orimproving digital map material in the situations described above.

The invention achieves this aspect by a method for associating new datawith a digital map which is available, preferably locally, in a vehicle,having the following steps: at least one new data value is received froma transmitter which is an element of a vehicle-to-vehicle communicationand/or of a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, the new data valueis compared with the existing data values from the digital map, and thenew data value is added to the digital map or the existing data valuesare updated with the new data value, in each case on the basis of theresult of the comparison, wherein the result of the comparison isadditionally taken as a basis for assessing the existing data valuesfrom the digital map and/or the new data value.

In particular, the method according to aspects of the invention providesfor at least one new data value to be received from a transmitter whichis an element of a vehicle-to-vehicle communication and/or of avehicle-to-infrastructure communication, for the new data value to becompared with the existing data values from the digital map, and for thenew data value to be added to the digital map or for the existing datavalue to be updated with the new data value, in each case on the basisof the result of the comparison.

The present invention therefore makes use of data resulting from a C2Xcommunication by the respective vehicle in order to improve and createdigital map material. Preferably, the digital map material is presentonly locally in the respective vehicle.

The approach according to aspects of the invention is a particularlysimple way of creating or updating digital maps particularly for aparticular area through which the vehicle frequently travels or forremote areas. This does not necessarily require a local or globalnavigation system. The method according to aspects of the inventionincludes the fresh creation of a digital map using the data transmittedby means of vehicle-to-vehicle and/or vehicle-to-infrastructurecommunication.

The method according to aspects of the invention for associating newdata with a digital map is a first step toward a self-learning orself-correcting digital map.

Within the context of the present invention, the term “digital map” isunderstood to mean not only maps available in digital form for a localor global navigation system but also maps for advanced driver assistancesystems (ADAS), without navigation taking place. Global navigationsystems are frequently satellite navigation systems such as GPS,Galileo, GLONASS (Russia), Compass (China), IRNSS (India), etc.

By way of example, the vehicle is a motor vehicle, such as a car, bus orheavy goods vehicle, or else a rail vehicle, a ship, an aircraft, suchas a helicopter or airplane, or, by way of example, a bicycle.

In one preferred exemplary embodiment, the transmitters are integratedin traffic guidance devices, for example traffic lights, road signs,display panels, or the like. This integration of the transmitter intraffic guidance devices reduces the costs of the system.

In one development of the invention, the data values involve thepositions of the vehicles or of the elements of thevehicle-to-infrastructure communication, preferably including previouspositions (e.g. strings of pearls), the type of the vehicles or of theelements of the vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, friction valuesfor the road surface or for the subsurface, speeds of the vehicles orfurther properties of the vehicles or of the elements of thevehicle-to-infrastructure communication, for example the informationfrom the road sign. This information is particularly well suited tocreating or updating digital maps.

In a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, the comparison ofthe new data value with the existing data values from the digital mapinvolves a check being performed to determine whether existing datavalues corresponding to the new data value are already contained in thedigital map, and then, if corresponding existing data values arecontained in the digital map, the new data value is compared with one ormore of the values from the corresponding existing data. This is aparticularly simple method in order to allow comparison of the new datavalue with the already existing data values from the digital map and toavoid computation errors as a result of the absence of map informationor incorrect map information. The comparison may involve comparing roadprofiles, speed restrictions, traffic light positions, etc. for example,with existing data values.

In one particularly preferred exemplary embodiment, the result of thecomparison of the new data value with the existing data values from thedigital map is additionally taken as a basis for assessing the existingdata values from the digital map and/or the new data value. Inparticular, the assessment of one or more data values from a portion ofthe digital map involves a reliability estimation for the data value orfor the data values which is preferably stored for the respective datavalue and/or the respective portion of the digital map. By way ofexample, the reliability estimation is performed by ascertaining howoften the corresponding existing data values have already been confirmedby C2X data and/or when the last confirmation took place.

The assessment of the data comprises the determination of a piece ofinformation relating to the quality and/or relating to the validity ofthe data, for example. This allows the assessment of the digital mapdata to be used in further applications and, by way of example, to betransferred to a driver assistance system and/or a safety system in thevehicle for further use. Since the different driver assistance systemsand the different safety systems in the vehicle apply differentstandards to the reliability of the data and require a differentaccuracy for the map data, for example, the data can be used in anoptimum fashion for the respective driver assistance system or safetysystem on the basis of the assessment.

This is because to date such systems have frequently assumed that thequality of the data from the digital map is low. It is now possible forthe data from the digital map to be used for a driver assistance systemor a safety system to a different extent, for example, on the basis ofthe respective assessment. By way of example, a driver assistance systemor a safety system in the vehicle can, in line with the currentness orthe accuracy of the data from the digital map, take account ofinformation from the digital map in the calculations of the driverassistance system or safety system either only to a small extent (forexample when a relatively high level of currentness or accuracy of thedata is required for the use) or to a relatively great extent.

During the assessment of the data from the digital map, it is possiblefor the data to be validated, in particular. In this context, validationis understood to mean that it is established whether the map data matchthe current data at all. This is advantageously done by means of asimple comparison between the new C2X data value and the data valueswhich are present in the digital map, with discrepancies below apreviously stipulatable threshold value being interpreted asinaccuracies rather than as errors. The appraisal of the accuracy of thedigital data involves specifically establishing how accurate the mapinformation actually is. Specific accuracy values are ascertained. Thisis advantageously done by calculating the difference between the new C2Xdata value and the data values which are present in the digital map. Thecurrentness of the map data can be indicated and stored, for example, byvirtue of each data value preferably being assigned a piece of timestamp information, with the time stamp containing the date of the lastupdate for the data and possibly also the corresponding time of day.

The assessment of the data could also comprise authentication of thedata. By way of example, such authentication can take place by readingan appropriate certificate with which the digital map is provided.

The above object is achieved particularly also by a device forassociating new data with a digital map which is available, preferablylocally, in a vehicle, having:

-   -   a reception device for receiving at least one new data value        from a transmitter which is an element of a vehicle-to-vehicle        communication and/or of a vehicle-to-infrastructure        communication, and    -   a computation device which compares the new data value with the        existing data values from the digital map and adds the new data        value to the digital map or updates the existing data values        with the new data value, in each case on the basis of the result        of the comparison.

The reception device and the computation device are each designed suchthat they can perform the steps indicated above for the method,including the steps from the exemplary embodiments.

The vehicle-to-vehicle and/or vehicle-to-infrastructure communication ispreferably effected by means of wireless radio transmission,particularly by means of WLAN or by means of passive and possibly alsoactive transponders, particularly RFID chips. In addition, it is alsopossible to communicate via radio channels, for example UMTS. Ifappropriate, it is also possible to combine transmission methods, forexample in order to be able to distinguish between a first and a seconddata value when travelling on a road.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is best understood from the following detailed descriptionwhen read in connection with the accompanying drawings. Included in thedrawings is the following figures:

FIG. 1 shows a flowchart for a first exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, and

FIG. 2 shows a device according to aspects of the invention forassociating new data with a digital map.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A vehicle-to-vehicle communication and/or a vehicle-to-infrastructurecommunication (C2X communication) 30 is used by a reception device 12 ina device 10 for associating new data with a digital map which isavailable locally in a vehicle (not shown) to receive position data frommotor vehicles in a first step 1. These new data may be the lastpositions (string of pearls) of a vehicle or a number of vehicles, forexample. The transmitter 20 transmitting the new data is in this casepreferably integrated in a set of traffic lights or a road sign oranother vehicle.

Next, a computation device 14 in the device 10 ascertains—in a step 2 ofthe method according to aspects of the invention—whether the region ofthe position data from the motor vehicles in the digital map contains aroad. In this case, the digital map is stored in a data memory in thecomputation device 14.

If so, the computation device 14 compares—in a subsequent step 3—the newdata values with the existing data from the digital map relating to theprofile of the road. In this case, it is established that the profile ofthe road has changed slightly in comparison with the informationcontained in the digital map, for example as a result of a constructionmeasure. Accordingly, the computation device 14 updates—in step 4—thedata which involve the position of the road in the digital map with theposition data from the vehicles.

If step 2 reveals that the position data from the vehicles do notcorrespond to a profile for a road, the new data are added to thedigital map by the computation device 14 in step 5 as a profile for anew road.

Preferably, in step 4 or in step 5, the computation device 14furthermore assigns to the new or updated data from the road profile arespective time stamp which corresponds to the date of the update. As aresult, the driver or a driver assistance system or a safety system inthe respective vehicle can tell that comparatively current data areinvolved.

Since the updated data are new, they are also used more frequently by adriver assistance system or a safety system in the vehicle. The relevantdata are transmitted to the driver assistance system or the drivingsafety system in the vehicle, including the time stamp, as a result ofwhich the systems know how current the transmitted data are.

If the comparison in step 3 establishes that the profile of the road hasnot changed, it does not need to be updated. Step 4 is therefore notperformed. Preferably however, step 6 involves the computation device 14assigning the current date to the existing data from the road profile asa time stamp, since the currentness of the existing data has beenconfirmed by the method according to aspects of the invention.

The method according to aspects of the invention can be continued afterstep 4, 5 or 6 with step 1, i.e. reception of new data by means of avehicle-to-vehicle communication and/or a vehicle-to-infrastructurecommunication.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

-   1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Steps of the method according to aspects of the    invention-   10 Device for associating new data-   12 Reception device-   14 Computation device-   20 Transmitter-   30 Vehicle-to-infrastructure communication

1.-12. (canceled)
 13. A method for associating new data with a digitalmap which is available in a vehicle, comprising: receiving at least onenew data value from a transmitter which is an element of avehicle-to-vehicle communication and/or of a vehicle-to-infrastructurecommunication; comparing the new data value with the existing datavalues from the digital map; and adding the new data value to thedigital map or the existing data values are updated with the new datavalue, in each case on the basis of the result of the comparison. 14.The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the digital map which isavailable locally.
 15. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein thetransmitters are integrated in traffic guidance devices.
 16. The methodas claimed in claim 15, wherein the traffic guidance devices areselected from the group consisting of traffic lights, road signs anddisplay panels.
 17. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the datavalues include the positions of the elements of thevehicle-to-infrastructure communication or of other vehicles, includingat least one of previous positions, the type of the vehicles or of theelements of the vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, friction valuesfor the road surface or for the subsurface, the speed of the vehicles orfurther properties of the vehicles or of the elements of thevehicle-to-infrastructure communication.
 18. The method as claimed inclaim 17, wherein the data values are based on information from a roadsign.
 19. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the comparison ofthe new data value with the existing data values from the digital mapincludes a check being performed to determine whether existing datavalues corresponding to the new data value are already contained in thedigital map, and then, if corresponding existing data values arecontained in the digital map, the new data value is compared with one ormore of the values from the corresponding existing data.
 20. The methodas claimed in claim 13, wherein the result of the comparison isadditionally taken as a basis for assessing the existing data valuesfrom the digital map and/or the new data value.
 21. The method asclaimed in claim 20, wherein the assessment of one or more data valuesfrom a portion of the digital map includes a reliability estimation forthe data values which is stored for the respective data value or therespective portion of the digital map.
 22. A device for associating newdata with a digital map which is available in a vehicle, comprising: areception device for receiving at least one new data value from atransmitter which is an element of a vehicle-to-vehicle communicationand/or of a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication; and a computationdevice which compares the new data value with the existing data valuesfrom the digital map and adds the new data value to the digital map orupdates the existing data values with the new data value, in each caseon the basis of the result of the comparison.
 23. The device as claimedin claim 22, wherein the digital map which is available locally.
 24. Thedevice as claimed in claim 22, wherein the transmitters are integratedin traffic guidance devices.
 25. The device as claimed in claim 24,wherein the traffic guidance devices are selected from the groupconsisting of traffic lights, road signs and display panels.
 26. Thedevice as claimed in claim 22, wherein the data values include thepositions of the elements of the vehicle-to-infrastructure communicationor of other vehicles, including at least one of previous positions, thetype of the vehicles or of the elements of the vehicle-to-infrastructurecommunication, friction values for the road surface or for thesubsurface, the speed of the vehicles or further properties of thevehicles or of the elements of the vehicle-to-infrastructurecommunication.
 27. The device as claimed in claim 26, wherein the datavalues are based on information from a road sign.
 28. The device asclaimed in claim 22, wherein the computation device, when comparing thenew data value with the existing data values from the digital map,checks whether existing data values corresponding to the new data valueare already contained in the digital map, and then, if correspondingexisting data values are contained in the digital map, compares the newdata value with one or more of the values from the correspondingexisting data.
 29. The device as claimed in claim 22, wherein thecomputation device takes the result of the comparison as a basis foradditionally assessing the existing data values from the digital mapand/or the new data value.
 30. The device as claimed in claim 29,wherein the assessment of one or more existing data values involves areliability estimation for the data values which is stored for therespective data value.